Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

On indulgence—Stephen Jones—or Jonesy, as he's always been known—has a great Labor heart and he's always worn it on his sleeve. He has served our party and his community in this place with passion and principle. I've known Stephen for a very long period of time. We've always voted for each other throughout our careers within the Labor Party and within our broader political engagement as well. I've been a big supporter of Jonesy, and have supported him going back to his heartland there in the Illawarra and on becoming the member for Throsby.

Stephen had a stellar career leading the Community and Public Sector Union, where he stood up for working people, understood that they needed to be valued and respected, and made an enormous difference. So Stephen has been a representative of both wings of the Labor movement—industrial and political—and he has throughout that done an enormous amount and left an incredible legacy. He is someone who leaves this place with more friends than with which he came. It's remarkable, thinking about it, as he was speaking, that I can't think of anyone who dislikes Stephen Jones or would regard himself an opponent of Stephen Jones. I wish throughout my career I could say that but it's not the case. Stephen Jones was someone who, as the representative for Whitlam, brought a real passion to an electorate that sometimes people speak about as being a safe seat. I think this a applies on either side of the aisle. It is one of the reasons I'm against colour-coded spreadsheets to allocate funding. People deserve strong representation and they don't deserve to be left behind or to be taken for granted by anyone. I think that has occurred from time to time with governments, if you look at where funds were allocated for important community infrastructure or roads. Stephen Jones has been so passionate. I have visited BlueScope with him on any number of occasions. We have worked on projects and delivering services for that community, which has needed it. It's a community which has grown and changed, with the boundaries changing as well, but one in which every single member, regardless of what way they vote or what they do in their profession, knows they've had a local member who's been on their side.

I made Stephen the shadow Assistant Treasurer, a frontbencher, and he has grown into the Assistant Treasurer position. I join with Stephen in regretting how long we have spent in ERC meetings together in both opposition and government. The work that Stephen has done throughout the country holding forums—I know they've been held on a bipartisan basis—on scams, informing people out there about how to avoid being ripped off and the challenges which are there, where he speaks about how much is lost every single day—he has been passionate about that. He's passionate about superannuation and the role that it plays. It does not just lift up living standards and ensure that people can retire with dignity and with a decent living standard; it is also a national asset, the extraordinary level of funds that we have. When I spoke with President Trump this morning, I spoke about the combined Future Fund and our managed funds representing US$3.1 trillion—more than the combined funds from Saudi Arabia and the UAE. It is a huge legacy which has been fought for against those who would seek to undermine it.

I will never forget the role Stephen has played in issues where he has not ducked. Marriage equality is now pretty uncontroversial; I recall that wasn't always the case, frankly, within my party or within this parliament. Stephen was there from the beginning as an advocate, as someone moving private member's bills and as someone arguing the case at Labor Party conferences for people to have the same rights as everyone else. Guess what? Marriage for everyone else hasn't been undermined by more people having access to it—simple as that. I give a shout-out to Brooke. I was very pleased to be one of the guests at Stephen and Brooke's lovely wedding here in Canberra last year. That was such a great celebration of two people expressing their love for each other.

Stephen has always been concerned with looking after the most vulnerable—that social justice principle at the heart of Labor's ideals that people should not be left behind. That is something he has stood up for each and every day.

I've been a friend and comrade of Stephen's for a very long period of time, since well before I came into this place. We attended various meetings around the place—some of them public, some of them a bit quieter—putting together, planning and engaging with each other at the CPSU and around and about. Stephen is someone who's been a friend of mine and remains a friend of mine. Importantly, one of the things about this joint is that the people who you're going to have a beer with when both of you are not here—I've got a while to go yet, though, mate!—are the people whose friendship you really value. Stephen has been totally loyal to me on a personal level for a long period of time. I don't take that for granted. I'm a loyal person too, and I've been loyal to this bloke and will remain loyal to him outside of this place. I wish you and Brooke so much happiness for your future together.

When you came to me and had the discussion, as people do, about wanting this to be your last term and how you had made your contribution and you wanted to go in a different direction in life, I respected that. I look forward to watching with excitement. Everything that you do will make a difference, I have no doubt about that—not just for yourself but most importantly your life is one that's been dedicated to the union movement, to your political engagement and, in your personal life, to making your life better for others.

All of us have been made better and, of course, the government's been made better because of your contribution. I thank you.

See this speech in context